


Lost and Found

by 4_angsty_zukos



Series: Palpitations [2]
Category: Cartoon Therapy (Web Series), Disney - All Media Types, Fairy Tales & Related Fandoms, Rapunzel (Fairy Tale), Sanders Sides (Web Series), Tangled (2010)
Genre: Angst, Deceit | Janus Sanders is Extra, Familial Moxiety - Freeform, Graphic descriptions of violence, Inspired by Tangled (2010), M/M, Moceit AU, Multi, Partially deaf Virgil, Patton is trying his best, Remus is technically here but he's uh, Remy is Trans, Selectively Mute Anxiety | Virgil Sanders, Sympathetic Deceit | Janus Sanders, Temporary Character Death, Visually impaired Remy, Warlock OC, a good snake, but only for a little bit, he's not a human, it's fine, technically mpreg mention but not described in detail only mentioned, technically two good snakes
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-25
Updated: 2021-02-06
Packaged: 2021-03-17 09:35:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 16,770
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28972182
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/4_angsty_zukos/pseuds/4_angsty_zukos
Summary: Janus has spent his entire life inside a tower that feels increasingly suffocating and unbearably boring, warned to stay away from the outside world by the warlock who's raised him. He knows the warlock is hiding something from him, but not what. When the warlock has to go away on a special trip for potion ingredients, Janus decides to investigate the outer world for himself, to see what precisely the warlock is hiding. He intends to do so alone, but when an annoyingly charming thief climbs into his window, plans change dramatically.
Relationships: Analogical - Relationship, Anxiety | Virgil Sanders/Logic | Logan Sanders, Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders/Sleep | Remy Sanders, Deceit | Janus Sanders & Morality | Patton Sanders, Moceit
Series: Palpitations [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2120454
Comments: 11
Kudos: 14





	1. Masquerade

**Author's Note:**

  * For [F00PY](https://archiveofourown.org/users/F00PY/gifts).



> I have fallen into this ship recently and wanted to write for it. There is not enough sympathetic Janus in this fandom and I WILL fix that by myself if I have to.
> 
> Foopy, this is for you! I really loved your Moceit in the Hogwarts AU you have, and your Analogical is so cute! I would fight a man to protect Janus Drake.
> 
> Equally dedicated to my favorite Janus roleplayer, Rusty /Janus on Twitter. I am blessed to know you

Deep within the vast forest that covered much of the land occupied by the kingdom of Draca, there was a tower of stone, tall and ancient in appearance, the thick granite blocks covered in moss , vines and tiny weather-worn cracks. At the top of this tower was a comfortable set of rooms, made for one- a bedroom, a kitchen, a living room that doubled as dining area, a bathroom, and a library. There was a set of stairs leading from the top floor rooms down to the other two floors, and, in the bedroom, a single large window, which held no glass. To most outsiders venturing near, the tower looked abandoned.

But in truth, it was home to Janus, a young man who had lived there all his life, with a warlock, Raistlin, who occasionally visited, but had spent less and less time with Janus as the boy grew older. Raistlin had told Janus dozens of terrifying stories about the world beyond the tower- wars that left the land scorched and villages little more than rubble, people driven mad by curses, dangerous creatures who would eat any human they could get. Plants that held deadly poisons, hidden swathes of quicksand or tar pits- story after story of horrors that often had Janus nervous, and plagued his dreams. He'd never been outside the tower, only leaned partway out the window to stargaze, or to enjoy a sunny morning. As he grew older, though, he began to wonder how, in a world supposedly so full of danger, Raistlin managed to keep coming back unharmed after long trips away. Now he was 18, and burning with a desire to explore. He'd roamed every inch of his rooms, read every book, cooked every recipe from every book his caretaker had given him. He was _bored_. Painfully bored, and annoyed at being stuck here. He had gained knowledge over the years, read every single book often enough to memorize the words. Surely he could manage on his own. 

Raistlin snapped his fingers in front of Janus's nose. "Janus, pay attention! I'm trying to fill that empty head of yours with important information! Now, as I was saying, I won't be back here for awhile, I have to journey a long distance to get ingredients for a few important potions. So I've left you enough supplies to last you quite awhile, but don't be foolish and waste things. Take good care of your hair, alright? Don't you dare cut it, it's very bad luck, you'll be cursed! You'll behave, right, blossom?" 

Janus sighed, frowning in distaste. He loathed that nickname. "Yeah, I get it. Stay inside, don't cut my weird magic hair, use supplies carefully. But if it's so deadly outside this place, then why do you keep leaving? Is there another safe place? Is it bigger? Are there more books, new ones? I'd love a new book or seven, it gets so boring here alone. "

" _Don't. Ask. Questions. I have kept you safe here out of the kindness of my heart, Janus, but that could change. You have no need to know my reasons for coming and going. You should simply be grateful I return to you._ " Raistlin's tone was angry, threatening, eyes faintly glowing with magic. 

Janus backed up, alarmed by his father figure for the first time in his life. Was Raistlin dangerous too? He hadn't thought Raistlin would hurt him before, but the tone, the look in his eyes... Janus felt a chill go down his spine. 

"Right. Sorry, Father. "

"Don't mention it! I'll bring you back some new reading material, as a late birthday gift! I already brought you some rare foods to enjoy, including all your favorites! I've got to get going, but have a good birthday, and remember, everything outside this tower wants to see you dead! "Raistlin waved, then motioned to Janus expectantly. Janus stifled a groan, but repeated the routine he'd been used to for years, pulling his very long black hair over to his bedroom window, draping it over a hook installed at the top of the window, and lowering Raistlin down from the tower with his hair. His hair was quite strong, so he didn't feel much of the weight, but it was never easy on his arms, this tedious process. He watched as Raistlin stepped onto the ground, and then as Raistlin walked away. As soon as the warlock was out of view, Janus dragged his hair back inside and closed the shutters of the window. He brushed a hand through his hair. "You can come out now, Re, he's left. " He said softly. 

Immediately, with a soft hiss, a large, long green and black snake emerged from the long thick mass of hair and wound his way up Janus's arm, twin heads hovering near his face, tongues flickering in and out. Janus smiled fondly at the creature. "I missed chatting with you too,Remus. Are you hungry?" He raised his free arm, lightly stroking Remus's scales. He had found Remus on his windowsill one afternoon , several years ago. Back then, Remus had been a hatchling, and already scarrred from fights with other creatures, napping in the sun and looking so sickly Janus had been unable to resist taking him in. He'd read about snakes- they were his favorite creature from the tales Raistlin told, and he was excited to get to see and touch one. He'd meant to release Remus back into the wild once the hatchling snake's injuries healed, but Remus had refused to leave, returning to the windowsill every time Janus tried to send him off. So Remus became his dearest friend. Only friend, really. He kept the double headed snake hidden from Raistlin, and fed Remus a carefully researched diet, though Remus would frequently catch rats and mice, and even other serpents that were bold enough to linger on the tower walls outside. Remus would leave to go hunting if Janus's food wasn't satisfying, but Janus never fretted. Remus always returned to him. He was glad for the company, and made sure to take good care of his beloved pet. He told Remus about all the things he wanted to do, the things he had learned, his favorite stars. He'd spend pleasant hours just watching Remus slither around his home, amused by his endless curiosity. The days alone were bearable with Remus around. But Janus longed for more, for someone, anyone new to talk with. After a few hours spent roaming pointlessly, Janus came up with an idea.

"Remus, we're going exploring. We'll find a new friend somewhere, see some of the world together! Father won't ever know, and you'll get to have much more space to play in, pretty one, won't that be nice? I'll get a travel bag together, and we'll leave tomorrow. Who knows, if we find a nicer home, maybe we won't come back. But before all that, we need a good meal and a good rest. So go find yourself a nice big catch, Re. If you can't, I'll have something good waiting for you. " He set Remus on the windowsill, petting him fondly before the serpent slithered off. Janus headed to the kitchen, singing softly to himself to drown out the quiet as he cooked. The song was one he'd sung dozens of times growing up, the one Raistlin had him sing every visit as soon as he arrived. It was silly, about flowers and time and shining light. But for some unknown reason, it made his black hair glow a brilliant gold, a gold that Raistlin told him was something other people had tried to steal when Janus was only a baby. Raistlin had rescued him from a group of bandits who had killed Janus's real family, and had then tried to cut Janus's hair and steal whatever powers it had for their own. This was why Janus had a single tuft of brown hair , buried within the long black tangles. Cutting it changed it, made it normal hair. The fight to rescue Janus had also left his face with an unusual scar across half of it, and one eye of an eerie green hue. The scar looked almost like a patch of flowers, faint gold and brown and green tones curling across his skin. Perhaps the scar was the reason for the odd nickname Raistlin had for him. 

Janus was definitely nervous about leaving the tower, but he was desperate for something new to happen, something exciting. He wanted a real life, not this lonesome existence in his pretty cage. Raistlin never called it that, but if it wasn't a cage, then why wasn't Janus allowed to leave? Surely even a stroll around the base of the tower should be safe, but Raistlin insisted Janus stay indoors. When he'd been small, hiding up here had seemed nice, safe from anything scary in the woods. But now Janus had read about things, the world outside- books about cities, bursting with people doing all kinds of things he'd love to try for himself, books about beautiful sights like waterfalls and vast canyons and huge mountains, geysers and volcanoes and lakes and all sorts of animals. He wanted to see it for himself, really have experiences instead of sitting on his bed reading other people's stories about what they did. He was so tired of talking to himself or to only Remus. He'd do anything for a real conversation, even if it ended poorly. He wasn't ungrateful to Raistlin, he was just frustrated at being left by himself so often. It made him feel like Raistlin didn't really care for him much. After all, Raistlin insisted the whole world was out to get Janus, and if it was true, why in the world would he keep leaving Janus defenseless and alone like this? Something wasn't adding up. He wnted to trust Raistlin, because if he couldn't trust Raistlin, he had only Remus, and that was terrifying. But there were things Janus knew his father was hiding, and Raistlin liked telling him scary things, so what horror was he keeping a secret? He had nice things here from the world outside- books, spices, food, clothing, all things Raistlin seemed able to bring back frequently. If the world was in constant chaos and war, how could his father cart such valuables back home safely? How was he able to supply Janus with medicine? No, Raistlin had a secret, and Janus didn't like that, the only person he'd ever known hiding things from him. He didn't give a damn how terrible the world was, he'd go find answers himself. He packed a bag while he waited for his lunch to finish baking, emptying most of the medicine box into the bag, packing extra clothes, some food that would travel well, a book on plant life in case he needed to pick edible ones. He set the bag aside, and when his food was done, took the bowl and the bag up to his room, then went back to the kitchen to fix a meal for Remus in case his hunt went poorly. Once he had a plate of food for his scaled companion, Janus took it back up to his room , opened the shutters so Remus could come back inside, and sat on his bed to eat and wait for Remus's return. He picked up a book after his lunch, reading it yet again. It was an old children's story, ridiculous in plot and logic, but Janus found some comfort in how kind the prince in the book was, rescuing people from danger and making friends with lots of people. It would be nice to meet someone like that. He grew tired as he read, falling asleep with the book in his lap. ******************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

_Patton didn't want to be a thief._ But life was funny that way. He'd done his best to be a good person, really, helping others as much as he could. He'd even had a good job for awhile. But then there had been a terrible fire, searing through the village, leaving little behind. A lot of people didn't make it, and plenty more had been hurt, including a young boy named Virgil, who'd received a head injury that damaged his hearing. Patton had rescued him from the fire, and now he roamed around the map with Virgil. Virgil was smart, but timid and anxious, uneasy about most things. As they travelled, Patton learned quickly there were plenty of nasty people out there, people who would try to take what little he and Virgil had. So Patton took to stealing from the bandits instead, doing what he could to protect other people and Virgil. The younger boy had come to be like family to Patton, and he'd do what he had to to make sure his little brother was ok. 

Right now, they were deep in the forests of a land called Draca, somewhere totally new to Patton, but full of beauty. Patton was trying to find a good place to set up camp before it got dark, away from any areas that looked unsafe. He didn't want Virgil to get hurt exploring and have trouble finding Patton. Patton was scanning the trees, admirring the birds and wildlife, while Virgil wandered ahead, turning back every once in awhile to make sure Patton was still there and making gestures at him with his hands. It was a little language he and Virgil had worked out so they could communicate, since speech was now difficult to understand for the younger boy. Suddenly , Virgil was running back to Patton, tugging on his hand and pointing to a large stone tower excitedly, smiling. 

Patton blinked, adjusting his glasses in surprise. He smiled at Virgil, making a hand gesture that meant "good job", and following the twelve year old toward the tower. It looked old, but sturdy enough, and he could see a window at the top. As the pair got to the base of the stone structure, Patton signed to Virgil. " I'm going to climb up, make sure it's safe. You stay here, promise?" He spoke the words as well so Virgil could read his lips. Virgil nodded, but looked worried. He sat down in the grass , taking off his travel pack and looking through it for a snack, watching as Patton began to climb the tower. 

Patton wasn't sure what he expected to see when he climbed through the window, but it certainly wasn't a bedroom , complete with a chest of drawers, a desk, and a bed, on which dozed someone with very long hair, unless - surely it was a wig. Patton had never seen hair so long before, and he stared at it, fascinated, until a hissing noise at his feet got his attention and he looked down to find a big, two headed snake, poised to strike, hissing in warning at him. He opened his mouth, intending to scream, but no sound came out, and instead he panicked,flailing his arms, kicking out with a leg, only trying to avoid being bitten and not meaning to hurt the creature, who was probably just spooked by him, and felt terrible when his foot knocked the poor thing back several feet into a wooden chest. "Oh, shoot, sorry!" Patton said immediately, moving to check on the snake when suddenly a hand was on his wrist, the stranger on the bed right in his face, staring at him. " Sorry for what? Who are you? Why are you in my room? " 

Patton had lost all capability to speak rationally, the man talking to him was so pretty. His eyes were mismatched, patterns like flowers on one side of his face, the long hair flowing behind him like a river of ink, and dressed in fancy garments of black and gold. He blinked, took a breath, trying to compose himself. " I uh. Patton. I'm Patton.You're pretty- I mean, I'M pretty- pretty sorry! Sorry about the snake, it scared me,I didn't mean to hurt it, and I didn't know anyone lived here-" 

The stranger gasped, eyes widening in shock. "You hurt Remus?! He's - he's harmless! What did you do , where is he, oh, Re, Remus, come out, come here, little pretty one, please be okay, Remus. I'm Janus, we can talk more in a minute just please, please help me find Remus,I have to make sure he's okay, he's my friend! He only looks scary, you know, snakes aren't dangerous if you're good to them, they're very smart and-" Janus was searching the room, blinking tears out of his eyes. Patton went for the wooden chest, backing up a bit when the snake- Remus, he reminded himself- immediately let out a hiss. 

"He's over here, in the wooden chest. He's hissing, he doesn't look like he's bleeding or anything. I'm so sorry I kicked him, I panicked, I've never seen a snake with two heads before and it just spooked the willies outta me. " 

Janus, who had moved over to the crate and picked up Remus, fussing over him like a baby, snorted a laugh. "The willies, huh? Sounds like he did you a favor. The willies sounds awful. So do you make a hobby of breaking into bedrooms and scaring pets, or am I special?" 

"I didn't- the window was open! This place looks abandoned from outside! And if there was a door I would have- Look, I'm just trying to find a safe shelter for a bit, my brother and I are travelling through here. I don't mean you any harm, I swear! I just hate sleeping outside, Virgil can't hear very well and I just worry he'll be hurt if he needs something at night and wanders off from me. I can be useful! I'll help with cooking or chores or whatever you want if you just let us stay-" 

"You can have this place but my father will be furious when he gets back. If he gets back. I'm not staying here anyway. 18 years alone here is long enough. You know about the world, don't you, Patton? Could I... could Remus and I tag along? I don't care where we go, I just want to go somewhere new. Anywhere! That's my whatever. Let me join you! I need someone who understands the outside world, I don't want to wander into a war zone or a tar pit or into some fire breathing wildcat. "

"Fire- breathing wildcat? That's.... creative, but not real, Janus. And there's not a war zone anyplace near here, and tar pits are real but really rare. But sure, you can come along! Just don't pick on Virgil about his hearing , he's sensitive. Might wanna trim that wig you-" 

"This is my real hair, and I'm not allowed to cut it. Something bad will happen if I do that. But you have a point, getting my hair caught on a rock or something would be annoying. Do you know a trick to make that less likely?" Janus had settled down a bit now, sitting on the bed, Remus curled around his neck, heads watching Patton as Janus absentmindedly petted the serpent. 

Patton smiled. "I do! I can braid your hair! But it'll be faster if my brother helps, he's pretty good with his hands. But before we go outside, you... you do have shoes, right? You're barefoot." 

"I've never needed shoes, but I have slippers for when it's cold. Will those work?" Janus asked, eyeing Patton's boots with curiosity and distrust. 

"For now, sure! We can get you some shoes when we get into a town or when we find some.... ruffians.They always have lots of things they don't need. " 

"Things they don't.... Patton, are you a thief? Are you really here to steal from me?! You can take whatever you like, just don't take Remus. I've read about animal collectors, people who take beautiful creatures and decorate buidlings with their corpses, it's disgusting and you will _NOT have Remus for such a display. I won't let you take him._ Please. He's all I have, Patton. He's my best friend, I raised him and I love him and I don't want him to be -" Janus was inching away from Patton, hands protectively hovering around Remus, who was nuzzling Janus's face while also hissing at Patton.

"Breathe! I'm not going to take him from you! I'm not like that! I steal from the violent and mean thieves who hurt people! I give most of the loot away to people down on their luck, and keep what V and I need. I don't want to hurt you or Remus. I hate people who hurt others and do terrible things. That's... Virgil's with me because the folks in my village decided they didn't need to look after a kid who got hearing damage after a bad fire. My parents taught me to be nice, and I only started stealing because it causes trouble for the real bad guys. I won't hurt you, Janus. I won't. Virgil would get really mad at me for one, and I would feel awful about hurting you. It's okay. It's okay. " Patton spoke calmly, holding his hands up , trying to calm Janus. He didn't understand why Janus had been living here alone or why he was so scared of everything, but he knew how to manage a scared person for the most part. Janus watched Patton for a few minutes, fidgeting now and then while also trying to look tough. Patton thought Janus's pout was adorable. Janus spoke. "I'll trust you. For now. But if you do anything weird, I'll let Remus bite you. So... So don't be weird! We should get down from here before it gets dark. There are wolves around here after dark, I've heard the howling. If Virgil can't hear properly, he shouldn't be alone after dark in these woods. And Remus is a native species, so there's snakes too. I just hope Virgil doesn't try to kick one, only an idiot puts their foot near an angry snake's fangs. " "I panicked! Remus is huge! He's got two heads! I haven't seen many snakes before, okay? You're a little rude, sleeping beauty. " Oh no. Patton had not meant to say those words out loud. He watched Janus, concerned the man would be mad at him. Janus blushed. "Sleeping... what? You think I'm... you called me pretty earlier too... You know the long hair isn't... I'm a dude, Patton. I mean, uh, you're not- You do look nice, I like your face too , if that- I don't even - Is it allowed? Oh, fangtastic, Janus, you can charm a snake but not the first new person you've met. " Patton burst into a laugh. "Fangtastic? That's a good joke! And don't fuss, I think you're pretty interesting. " Janus turned a deeper shade of red. ******************************************************************************************************************************************************************** Virgil sulked, pacing around the base of the tower. Patton had climbed up it awhile ago, and he hadn't come back down. And the top was too high up for Virgil to hear even a little bit of what was going on. He didn't like it when Patton wasn't nearby- his hearing issues made it pretty hard to understand things sometimes. He only heard muffled noises, even close things sounded far away, like he was underwater or had something covering his ears. He could hear anything really loud just fine, but those sounds were usually bad things. Patton helped him make sense of things. Everything felt calmer as long as Patt was there. He was tempted to try to climb up the tower himself , but Patton had told him to stay put, and the 17 year old was usually right about these things. He would yell for Patton, but he did not want to draw the bad sort of attention. So he paced, examining the base of the tower and watching the trees, or cloud gazing, until he was smacked in the face with what seemed to be a LOT of hair. It startled him so much he was knocked down, and he frowned, shoving hair out of his face and staring up at where it had fallen from, very shocked to see Patton in the arms of some stranger, who was sliding down the long hair. As soon as the stranger stepped onto the ground, Virgil was glaring up at him, signing angrily at him . "Put Patton down, don't touch him, don't take him away, please! Patton who is this, why is there so much hair, I don't understa- is that a REAL snake?! Very pretty, can I touch it, why does it have two heads, that's so cool, can I touch it please please please, I'll be careful I just-" Janus squinted at Virgil, perplexed and amused at this scrawny child trying to be threatening. "What is he doing with his hands? A spell? Did you take in a warlock child, Patton?" "Warlo- No! It's sign language, he's deaf- or, mostly? He got a pretty bad bump on the head, messed up his ears. The hand signs are how he talks most of the time. He's shy about his voice. Don't be rude! And put me down already. " "I can do that, Father taught me about put downs. Those pants don't match your shirt. " Janus replied, then set Patton down. " That- that- I didn't mean that kind of put down. Nevermind. Janus, this is Virgil, my little brother. He's adopted. Twelve, he's pretty smart, and he's trying to ask if he can hold your snake. He likes ... the more unconventional animals. He also wants to know why you have so much hair. " Janus considered for a few minutes, looking at Virgil seriously. "He's not a kid who likes to hurt animals, right? Because I swear, if he hurts Remus, I will hurt-" "If you hurt Virgil I will hurt you back, Jan. Or Virgil will. He's a little bit vicious. " Janus chuckled at that. "Tell Virgil he can hold Remus, but he has to be very nice, because Remus is a grouchy little diva and will nip at him if he's not careful.He's nipped at me, and Remus likes me! And he can't wander off with him! I don't want Remus to get lost, he'll lose my scent if he's too far away. Since we're leaving the tower now, I'm what he'll come back to after exploring. But before that, you mentioned braiding my hair, whatever that is? Please do it, there's moss all over and I do not want green hair. " Janus was holding a big bundle of hair in his arms, Remus nestled on top of it, tongues flitting in and out of his mouths lazily. Patton signed to Virgil, who was confused but glad to do whatever it took for a chance to hold Remus. So Patton spread out a blanket for them all to sit on, and Janus held Remus in his lap, hair spread out behind him onto Patton and Virgil's laps. Virgil was thrilled. He liked getting to do simple and repetitive things like braiding, and this was more hair than he'd ever seen on anybody, and it was so soft. The normally fidgety boy was soon very calm, braiding Janus's hair , a slight smile on his face. He occassionally reached over to Patton, pointing at a mistake in Patton's efforts. "It's nice to have help with my hair. Normally it's just me or Father touching it. It's special, Father says. I don't get why exactly. I mean, it glows when I sing -" "Your hair does not glow when you sing,Janus, that's nonsense!" "Oh yeah? I'll prove it to you, sunshine. " Janus started to sing the familiar tune, and his hair began to glow. Virgil gasped , staring at the glow in amazement, and Patton nearly dropped the braid he was holding in shock. Janus smirked, continuing the song until it was over, and after a moment of silence, Patton made a puzzled noise. "Hey, charmer, how did you do the healing thing?" "The what?Healing?" "Mhm. I had all these little knicks and bruises on my hands from climbing the tower, but now they're all gone!Is your magic hair supposed to do that? " " I... I don't know! Maybe! Father never told me the specifics! He just said it was magic." "It's your magic though, why would he not tell you?" "He- Father just wants to protect me! I have to... I should trust him. If I ...If he's a bad person, then I don't have anyone to trust. He saved me from bad people when I was a baby... and then locked me in a tower far away from anybody and told me not to leave.... I'm an idiot, aren't I?" "No. No you're not, Jan. You want to trust that the person who's taken care of you is a good person. But if he really cares about you, then you need to ask him why he hides things from you and leaves you alone , and makes up monsters outside! I don't do that to Virgil. And your father shouldn't do those things to you. " Janus sighed. "You're right. "


	2. Resolve

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's been 18 years since the worst night of King Roman and King Remy's lives, and the search is still on for the son they lost. Roman refuses to stop looking, and Remy pours hours into scouring the maps for places the kidnappers could be hiding.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter starts with a flashback , which ends after the first *************************** break. I made Roman a king because he deserves a crown and we all know it.

_The memory is still etched into Roman's mind so well he could tell you exactly what the battle sounded like even now._ It had all been so sudden. He and Remy had been celebrating- their son had been born healthy after a long and arduous pregnancy that Remy complained endlessly through, despite reassuring his husband he was fine. Roman still worried anyway, he knew there were more complications for those like his darling Remy, who'd had to alter their bodies to match who they were inside. He'd suggested adoption, and Remy had laughed, insisting their kingdom would only tease the child they took in, and their throne would be in constant debate, and how having a tiny Roman around would be much more fun. 

It was supposed to be a good day, full of joy and hope for the kingdom of Imara. It had been, until the town square fireworks display. He'd been practically floating on his joy, enjoying the sight of Remy laughing in the starlight, proudly showing the citizens their perfect little Janus, bundled up in a blanket Remy had made himself, black fabric with the royal family crest on it, and the name Janus in elegant cursive, in shimmering gold. Janus was a pouty newborn, already giving strangers judging looks according to Remy. Roman agreed, Janus did seem a moody child, but he loved him all the more for it. The magical solutions and healing potions they'd had to use at the end of Remy's pregnancy had an unexpected effect on Janus, leaving the boy with a mop of black hair and a birthmark on his face that Roman found beautiful- flowers, tracing their petals and stems across Janus's skin. One of his eyes was also a brilliant green, the other brown. Some of the advisors had been alarmed at Janus's appearance, making rude comments ,and Roman quickly had them dismissed from palace work. He would not tolerate anyone making his son feel uncomfortable about his looks- life was hard enough without that. 

The fireworks had been perfect, dazzling colors painting the night sky. Janus had reached his hands up, trying to touch the patterns in the stars, much to Remy and Roman's delight. "He's just like you, Ro, that look of surprise on his face. Silly enough to reach for lights in the sky. " 

"Shut up, Rem, he's like you! He has _exactly_ your pout of disgust. He's wonderful. I'm so glad he's healthy , and that you are too. You had me worried for awhile there. " 

"Oh, you know me, I'll do anything to liven things up when it's boring. But you were so extra, going to such lengths to get magic medicine for us! How many people did you call in for favors? I thought my proposal was reckless! You hired foreign mages!" 

"Shush! It's a secret! And of course I went to great lengths, Remy. I love you! Besides, you haunting the palace would have been hell." 

_"Bitch_ , I'd be the hottest ghost there and you know it. I love you too, you sap. Glad I had you fighting for me and little J here. You're ridiculous enough not to give up on me, and it's nice. But also gay, better be careful, people might find out. " 

"Oh, what a disaster if they find out that I , who dated at least 27 men before I met you, like men! I even married one, I've made such an error in subterfuge!" 

Remy laughed, kissing Roman. "You're such a smartmouth, Roman. But it's a _pretty_ mouth, so I'll allow it. "

He'd been lost in the moment, in the feelings of love he had for his family. He should have been focused on security, on keeping his family safe. But it was a peaceful time in Imara, and he had never dreamed that violence would find its way into their calm little gathering. But in the midst of the fireworks, in a break between the noise of the festivities, there was a scream in the crowd, one of pain. Remy looked nervous, holding Janus just a little bit closer. Janus fussed, whining at the noise and Remy's sudden tight grip. "Darling, you'll scare him. Go home, get the guards to escort you, I'll find out what that scream was about." "But Roman, I can h-" " Remy. You're **_not_** coming with me. You just had a baby! Janus needs you with him. You need your rest anyway, and I know how well you did in weapons training. I'll be fine! Just- " An explosion thundered, not overhead, but through the town square itself, filling the space with thick, foul-scented red smoke and debris from the stage hurtling through the crowd.

It all happened so quickly that Roman was lost for a moment in the eruption of frigthened screams, people jostling by trying to escape the smoke, seperating him and Remy before he could grab onto his husband, the pained gasps, the explosion itself, the smoke blanketing everything and making seeing anything a struggle, but a voice he knew by heart broke his daze. **_"NO! NO, DAMN YOU, LET GO , DON'T TOUCH MY BABY! ROMAN! ROMAN!"_** Remy was screaming as loud as he could, and oh gods, he sounded both scared and hurt and Roman was runnning, frantic, toward the sound, sword drawn, ready to face whoever dared make Remy that scared, or threaten his son. As he finally reached Remy, the scene the thinning smoke revealed was one that had Roman's heart frozen. A man in dark robes was holding Janus, who was shrieking as only a newborn could, standing over Remy, who was laying on the ground, a hand pressed over his eyes, the other hand trying to grab onto the stranger's legs. "Give... him... back... you... bastard! Roman! Roman, I smell that.. .that damn... fancy shampoo of yours, I know you're close, worry about me later.... get Janus, please, please, Roman! You have to get our baby back, this guy is nuts! " The stranger laughed. "I'm afraid he has no chance. I'm only taking back what was stolen from me. Consider this a lesson- do not play with forces you do not understand, King Roman. This is simply business. _Everything has a cost_. " He flicked a hand upwards, and the remaining red smoke surrounded him, and then vanished, leaving only empty air where the man had just been. 

He had disappeared, with Janus in hand. _"NO! YOU BASTARD! COME BACK!_ " Roman stumbled forward, trying to figure out where the man had gone, looking for any trace of him, but when it was clear that magic really had transported the kidnapper away, Roman turned his focus to Remy. He knelt down by his husband, gently taking Remy's free hand in his. "Remy? I'm so sorry, but I swear we will find him, we will get Janus back if I have to look under every rock on this planet. We'll start the search soon, very very soon, but first, my darling, my love, you're hurt, please let me help you. I can't lose you too. " "He just... he just appeared out of the smoke like a monster, I should have run, I should have , but I was... I was scared. I froze, I panicked, and because of that he... I'm so sorry, Roman, I wasn't strong enough... He was fast, he threw some kind of magic or curse at my face and then he dragged Janus away from me and - I fought back, I swear to fucking gods I did but- his magic, my eyes... everything looks wrong, it hurts... I was distracted... I was- " Remy latched onto him, hugging him tightly and burying his face in Roman's chest, sniffling and shaking.

"Breathe, just breathe, Remy. I'll take care of you, and we're gonna get our son back home. I swear. I'm not mad at you, I know you did everything you could, we did all we could. But this stranger made a huge mistake, stealing a prince. We will find him. We have allies, Remy, and we will call in every favor, make whatever veiled threats needed. We'll fix this. I love you, I won't let you down. Now, darling, love, my heart, may I pick you up? You look exhausted and in pain, and I don't want you to get hurt walking home. "

Remy was quiet for a moment. ".... Any damn excuse to be a drama queen, huh,Roman? Yeah, you can carry me, but if I hear one sappy word from you, I will burn your makeup collection. " "You won't. You like the mascara too much, and messing up my makeup after I get ready in the morning. "

"Bitch, I knew you read my journal!"

"No, just your face. "

"Stop outing me and just pick me up already, pretty boy. I'm getting a headache, I'm allergic to cheesy flirting you know. " Roman smiled, picking Remy up carefully and kissing Remy's forehead.

"Says the man who based half of his dates on making fun of my name. "

"Fuck you, they were GOOD jokes!" Remy was laughing slightly.

"Not really, but you were too sweet to turn down. "Roman replied.

"How dare you slander my name like this."

*************************************************************************************************************************************************

"Roman? Hey, Ro, doofus, come with me, I want you to meet someone. " Remy knocked on the door of the training room, peeking in. His dark glasses were slightly crooked on his nose, and his clothing was rumpled and messy, which meant he hadn't been sleeping. Again. Roman sighed, putting down the sword he'd been practicing with, going over to the door and kissing Remy fondly. "When did you last sleep, Rem? How are you feeling?" "Aw, you care about me. I'm fine, I slept on Tuesday night. Anyway, I hired a new advisor, he's young but god is he a smart kid. His name's Logan-"

"It's Saturday! You slept on - _REMY. The doctor told you you need rest , even more so because of the curse side effects!_ You said you would sleep!" 

"And I did! I do! Just... in doses. I can't, Roman, I can't do it every night, the nightmares, I- I know what the curse did to me, the things I say when I'm asleep. I....I can't put you through that every night. I don't want you to start actually hating me. " Remy's tone was sad. The curse had been an old complex one, with a list of effects and symptoms. The most permanent damage had been to Remy's sight- he wasn't blind, but no longer saw color as well. Everything looked like perpetual dusk to him now, and he needed dark glasses to shield his eyes from light to avoid migraines. That was the physical aspect. The magical aspect was what had made Remy dread sleeping. When he slept, the curse made Remy say terrible things, driven by his deepest negative feelings. Remy had a reputation for his temper and foul mouth when he was awake, but he knew where to draw the line. When asleep, however, that line was erased, and he said things he would never say out loud of his own choice.

"Remy. I have loved you and every wild antic you've gotten up to since we met. You've called me every rude name in the book in teasing affectionate ways. I've seen you fuss over every tiny bump or bruise I gain, heard you curse out anyone you think made me feel bad. I could never doubt your love. You can be an absolute bitch at times, but you're mine, and I wouldn't want you any other way. I love that you're not afraid to be blunt about your feelings. I want to hold you again at night, Remy. I know this damn curse pains you, and we will find a cure if I have to force the one who cast it to take it away. But until then, Rem, let me be here with you. Let me love you through it, the good days, the bad days, and everything between. "

" I want a divorce, you monster. How dare you make me feel better when I'm trying to have a _scene. I thought you appreciated theatrics._ " Remy hugged him, his hands in Roman's hair, ruining the careful styling Roman had worked on, as was Remy's habit. He liked Roman's hair to look messy. "There, much better! That's my trophy husband. Come meet Logan, Ro! He's the smartest son of a bitch I've ever met, and I once kissed the guy who invented coffee." 

"You- coffee comes from a plant! You did not kiss the inventor of coffee! You can't invent a plant! "

"You haven't smooched enough farmer boys then, yes you can if you have the audacity. But you're right, I only kissed a coffee farmer. The inventor was a guy working on metal contraptions. Now stop debating my stories and help me to the library, Logan's waiting for us and we only have so many books to keep him entertained. "

"What? What does that _mean_ , Remy?! We have- Our library has over 6,000 books! " 

"Yes, I know that, and Logan reads really fast and when I left him he'd gotten through four shelves in twenty minutes. The librarian's scared for their job. "

**************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Logan had always been different. He'd known he was different since he started school, and was able to finish his assignments very easily. His father had been so proud, and thrilled to enroll Logan in higher and higher classes, wanting to see Logan happy, and Emile knew Logan loved learning most of all. The Picani family were well known as healers of varying specialties, and Emile's was the mind. He knew how to help someone recover from mental scars, emotional trauma, just about any harm that was emotional. His words and enchantments were nearly always effective. Which was why King Roman had sent him a letter, pleading for him to come to Imara and see if he could do something to help his husband Remy. Emile was uncertain at first about leaving Draca. He'd lived in the nation's capitol all his life,and didn't want to unsettle Logan by moving. 

Logan had been thrilled by the news. "Did you know Imara has a large amount of scholars devoted to the sciences, and a public observatory, and 465 libraries, extremely progressive rights for their citizens, and a robust healthcare system provided for free by the royal family? Their kings are-" 

"So you're saying you don't mind moving to Imara's capitol city , Nocturne? " 

" If I get a chance to visit the royal library, then absolutely not, I would love to go! Nocturne has excellently reviewed fruit orchards, the jelly they produce is very sought after by foreign markets. I suspect you were invited to be the court healer because of King Remy's magical ailment, correct?" 

"I- how did you hear about that?" 

" I like to read foreign newspapers, keeping up to date on international news is helpful to being politically forward thinking. The case of a kidnapped prince is very intriguing to me, I want to solve the mystery. "

"Knowing how you are with a project, I'm certain you will, Logan."

It had been two weeks since they'd moved here, and Logan had already explored the grounds of his new home in the royal court staff housing, so he had taken to exploring the castle itself and the gardens, but mostly trying to get to the library. Along the way he paused, admiring the artwork hanging on the walls , the skilled craftsmanship, the little quirks of traditional Imaran architecture. He got so absorbed in taking in the sights that he walked right into someone. 

"My apologies, I was distracted by the paintings and the woodworking skills of the furniture craftsmen- oh. Oh. I am so sorry , King Remy, I didn't mean to-"

"Don't fuss kid, it's fine. I walked into you, actually. The damn summer lighting, I can't navigate in the afternoons at all. Nice glasses, good to know I'm not the only poor bastard who can't see around here. You're uhhhh... the healer's kid, right? Logan? Your dad talks about you a lot during our little check ups. I hear you know just about everything.I could use someone like that helping out on a special project. I'll pay you whatever you want and give your dad a raise. Hell, if you agree to help us, I'd give your dad a permanent position here if he wanted it. Anything he wants, anything you want, if it means we can find-"

"Janus. I've read all about the case, King Remy. I'm very sorry about what happened to your family, I'm sure it made you very wary of magic, but I'm glad you didn't ban it in your kingdom. In my opinion, from my research, it has done more good than harm in most countries that allow it. That said, I think people who use magic to hurt people- anyone who uses knowledge of any sort to hurt others- those people should be punished. Knowledge should be used to improve society. I'm happy to use mine to help you find Janus. '

"Glad to hear it. And you can just call me Remy, I only go by King when I'm on official royal business. At home I'm just Remy. Or, to whoever I'm messing with, REMY, NO! So you're hired. You officially have, by royal decree, permission to go anywhere in our kingdom, ask questions of anyone, gather evidence and supplies, request backup and security from our royal guards, and are now granted the title of chief royal advisor. Any fees to enter places like museums or libraries will be paid by Roman and I, and you'll get a travel allowance- which some law from 3 centuries ago says is supposed to be a certain small amount, but fuck that- and of course the library is open to you at any time. You catch any shit from someone about your work, you come tell me, I'll tell em where to shove it. "

"You're exactly as informal as rumors suggested. I like that. Speaking of the library, I was trying to find it, but i haven't memorized the castle's layout yet. "

"Oh, I'll take you there. We have a very good librarian, Elonwyn, they'll direct you to whatever you need. I suggest you ask for the firsthand accounts of the first Janus Festival, that's the story of the night our son was stolen. We had everyone who was there interviewed, three times. We haven't gotten very far with it, but I'm really hoping you can fix that. "

"I will. " Logan replied, following Remy to the library. 

Remy chuckled, amused by Logan's attitude, and waved as he left Logan in the library. "I'll be right back, gotta go find Roman. I'll bring him back with me and you can see in person how much a dumbass he can be. "

"It seems strange to call your husband a dumbass, but I take from your tone you mean it kindly. "

"Don't out me, you perceptive little genius. Go read something! Roman would want me to say age appropriate... so ... the section for what, 13 year olds?'"

"Perceptive. Most adults mistake me for older because of my height. I allow them to when it benefits me. "

"I like you already. "

It had been awhile since Remy left, so Logan wasn't too surprised to see Remy coming back in, holding Roman's hand. Logan was seated at a large table, a stack of books he'd read on the left side, and books he had yet to read on the right. He waved at Remy, then turned back to the thick book he was reading. "Salutations, King Roman. Pleasure to meet you. Your librarian deserves a raise, your collection of books is in prisitine condition, even the antique books. However , four of your books on foreign plants have inaccurate information, two books on magical law are forgeries, and one book on astronomy is attributed to the wrong illustrator, you can tell by the brush strokes. "

"You weren't kidding, he is really smart. Nice to meet you too, Logan. I really appreciate your help with finding Janus, it means the world to both of us. Was there anything useful in the firsthand accounts you read?" 

"Oh, yes. There are 146 registered magic users in Imara, and you had all of them investigated properly, none of them are suspect. Judging by the descriptions of the abductor, his clothing was foreign, not from Imara or a neighboring kingdom. But it was the use of the red foul smoke that told me his homeland. Dracanian bitter root jade flowers, when dried and ground into fine powder, are a potent ingredient in cloaking spells for many magic users seeking to commit crime. The smell of the smoke makes it very difficult to track them with dogs , and confuses the senses so it makes tracking by foot nearly impossible unless you neutralize the smoke quickly. The kidnapper is from Draca. I say from because the jade flowers grow only in specific times and locales in Draca and only a local would know where to find them, and the flowers, once picked, degrade very fast and do not last long enough to be shipped across borders, and the sale of these flowers or its byproducts is illegal outside of Draca because the plants are endangered. Thus, we are looking for one of Draca's 167 registered magic users, or one of the 34 known outlaw magic users. " 

"That... that took you an hour to figure out. An hour, and we've been looking for 18 _YEARS. Holy fuck."_

"Remy! Don't swear in front of the kid!" 

"I already know the curse words of 17 languages and two regional dialects. I know the word fuck already. But please don't tell my dad. "


	3. Would You Be So Kind(As To Fall In Love With Me?)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A plan is formed, Logan takes a journey , Virgil has an adventure and makes a new friend, and Janus is becoming more and more fond of Patton. Patton likes Janus more and more as they travel together. 
> 
> Raistlin thinks of his past, and decides to reclaim something he once abandoned. But what will he do when he finds what was once his is now under the care of another?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have watched the spin-off series about three times, and I will include elements of that here. However not much of this will relate to the Tangled series so I won't be tagging it as such. Spoilers for season 2 and 3 I believe? But not really if you don't know which characters are represented, this will be divergent enough. 
> 
> I don't own the song referenced but I highly reccomend looking up Dodie, she is wonderful.
> 
> There is a wild animal attack in this chapter, it gets violent ,be wary. If you're triggered by blood and injury it may be worth skipping Virgil and Logan's first POV section in this. He is not going to die but he gets hurt.

"So how do we start searching in Draca? " Remy questioned, sitting down next to Logan. 

"The Dracanian ruler is deeply anti-social and very rarely invites foreign royalty to their land. So going through official channels would be tedious and likely unsuccessful. However, so long as we do not reveal that you and King Roman are royalty, there will be little trouble in entering and leaving Draca. I can provide lessons on traditions and customs so you can blend in, but I believe the best strategy would be for me to gather information and investigate alone. I have explored much of Draca growing up and traveling with Dad for his medical visits. I have made friends in several towns there- my face would not draw suspicion. I am young, so Janus's abductor will be unlikely to be wary of me. People in general tend to drop their guard around children because they assume we will not comprehend the truth. I am aware of the dangers in Draca as I grew up there. I know where to seek help if I truly need it. "

"I don't like the idea of sending you alone. Wouldn't your dad be worried?" Roman fretted, watching Logan's expression. 

" I understand your concern and appreciate it, King Roman, but my dad is quite used to me exploring on my own. He knows I can handle myself well. However, if you wish to have someone accompany me, I believe Remy would be the best option. His visual impairment makes him appear less of a threat, he married into your kingdom so your people will be less distressed if he is on a journey beyond your borders , due to the Imaran tradition of disliking commoners marrying royalty. Which I find a ridiculous opinion. Remy has been , to my research's revealations, a very good king, and has created legislature that greatly improved your country. His anti-discrimination laws are the best I've seen, very comprehensive. Remy has experienced life outside of the royal home, he will be able to blend in with more ease than you would, King Roman. I mean you no disrespect, of course. " 

"I'm not insulted, Logan. I'm just... Remy, will you be alright if you go with Logan? I don't want to.... I can't lose you too. I'm not strong enough. If you do this, promise you'll come home. Come back to me. You and Logan both, and hopefully Janus. I love you too much to lose you, Remy. When you were hurt, I was so scared for you. You make me a better man, a better king, Remy. "

Remy took Roman's hand gently, kissing it. "I'll be careful, babe. I'll come back to you, with Logan and Janus. I love you too, you utter sap. I've loved you since I first saw you, threatening to fist fight someone who was being rude to a gay couple. You were so full of fire and compassion and bravery, and I respected that. You were the first one I dated willing to particpate in my reckless schemes.You stuck with me even when I was unbearable, and I... that means a lot to me, Ro. You surprised me by staying. " 

Roman smiled, relaxing a bit. " Thank you, Remy. Don't get into too much trouble, okay? "

"No promises. "

" _Remmington. "_

"Oh shit, you full named me! Okay, I promise not to get into too much trouble. "

"Good. "

***********************************************************************************************************************

Janus had been nervous about leaving his home, but he'd largely forgotten that now that he was on the road with Patton and Virgil. Patton was funny, full of energy and happy to answer all of Janus's questions, and he was so attentive to Virgil , in a way that was different from Raistlin. Patton didn't yell at Virgil, paid attention when Virgil was signing to him, and was patient in explaining things to him. Janus liked that, how gentle Patton was. It made him feel comfortable around Patton. 

Virgil was curious, and very protective of Patton, pointing out anything that might be a threat- rocky pathways, animals in the distance, any unfamiliar plants. He was careful and sweet with Remus, who had, to Janus's surprise, taken a liking to the younger boy. Patton had been teaching Janus sign language because Virgil had so many questions about Remus and was asking Janus something frequently, and by now, a few hours later, Janus had been signing to Virgil for quite some time, impressed by how smart Virgil was. Now Virgil was watching Remus as the serpent roamed the forest floor, following behind him closely and watching for anything that might hurt his snake friend. Janus was glad to have a friend that was as fond of Remus as he was. 

"So, Patton, how long have you known Virgil? You two seem pretty close. "

"We're from the same village, so I saw him around town, but we didn't know each other too well until after the fire happened. Before that, he was an assistant to the weaver, running errands in town , making deliveries, doing any task needed. He was paid, but not very fairly, so he'd visit my bakery pretty often because I always gave away food to hungry kids who didn't have much money. I came from a well-off family, I could afford it. We didn't talk a lot, but when we did, he always seemed worried I wouldn't like him. He doesn't talk much about his family, but I found out from the weaver that Virgil's father came to town with him when Virgil was just a baby, left him in the care of an innkeeper, and left town.

The innkeeper decided she didn't want to keep him, so Virgil became one of the town orphans, cared for by the community but didn't really have a home. I was working on getting him comfortable enough to live with me when there was a terrible fire. The blacksmith's forge caught and the whole town went up pretty fast after that. Virgil liked to spend time at the library in town , so I ran there first , looking for him. He'd gotten knocked out , apparently from pushing someone else out of the way when the roof caved in. The aftermath was...bittersweet , in ways. A lot of old buildings no longer needed or safe had been destroyed, but a lot of people didn't make it. The ones who did felt no obligation to take in the children who needed help.

Most of the kids got sent away to other , bigger cities. I wanted to stay and take of Virgil, but my bakery had gone up in smoke, along with my home, so I didn't have my own place, and no one wanted to take me in if Virgil was with me. I took him to our healers, but there was just no fixing the damage to his hearing, and kids who are different are treated poorly too often. It made me angry and sad that Virgil wasn't getting help , so I just... packed up what I had left and took off one morning with Virgil, and never looked back. He's always been anxious, but his hearing loss only made that worse. But it makes sense, he's young after all, and it must be terrifying to wake up and have something you were used to suddenly be changed. I wanted to help him navigate life, I wanted to make sure he wasn't hurt and alone. 

He's such a good kid, Janus- smart and helpful and he picks things up so fast! He's stubborn about opening up with his feelings but I can understand why. I'm hopeful that with enough time and kindness, he'll feel safe enough to tell me how he feels even if if it's not a nice feeling. Right now I think he's worried I'll leave him if he does something wrong. I'd never do that, but he hasn't gotten to know me well enough to understand that. I'm just happy he hasn't decided to ditch me yet, he's not shy about doing that if he doesn't like people. "

" That's incredibly kind of you, Patton. Taking him in, taking good care of him, learning how to help him communicate. And you even fed hungry kids in your town. I apologize, I misjudged you completely. " 

"I could be lying to make you trust me. "

"Hmmm.... no. I've seen how you are with Virgil. You're gentle and caring and patient. Even earlier, when he got mad at you about something and kept signing ... I don't know what the word was but it looked rude from your expression- you apologized to him and calmed him down without getting mad yourself. If you were a liar, I think Virgil would have known by now, and he wouldn't trust you. But he does trust you. So I'm willing to do that too. "

"You're pretty observant! Virgil was mad at me earlier because I read the map wrong and we were supposed to be getting closer to a town by now. He thought I lied to him and got us lost on purpose. I just got confused by the Dracanian written language, it's different from the one I'm used to. I studied it in school for a bit but I didn't plan on visiting, so I wasn't paying much attention. But I'm glad you trust me, Janus.

You're interesting! I've never met someone like you before. You've got such long and special hair, and that really pretty ... is it a birthmark on your face? I like it a lot, it looks like you were touched by the god of spring or something. And your eyes are different colors which is so neat, I wish I had two eye colors! I've always liked brown eyes, and green. Brown's warm and feels like cozying up at home to a fireplace, the way sunshine reflects in brown eyes. And green eyes are just so full of life and it's like looking at a really lively forest. You look different from everyone else and that's so cool, Janus!

You're curious and smart and you're so graceful walking, I trip all the time! And you're teaching Virgil so much! About snakes, about the plants and flowers around here, telling him little things from the books you've read. And you asked him what he likes. That made him so excited, Janus, he thought you were teasing him at first, and he was just thrilled to get to tell you all about the things he likes. Thanks for being so nice to him. "

"I've only ever known one other person besides you two, and you've been nice to me. You and Virgil have lived a real life, not stuck in one spot all the time. I want to know everything you like or don't like, the things you've done or seen , or where you've been. Virgil told me he liked music a lot, but it has to be a little louder now for him to hear it. I'd love to hear some! I only know the song Father taught me, and I'm so sick of it.

I want new songs to sing and listen to! I want... to go shopping. It sounds fun in stories. And restaurants! Whole places just for people to go and eat at, that sounds really interesting to me. I want to visit a book shop and pick out my own books. I want... I want those things. But Father would never let me. He says it's dangerous for me to be outside. He'd be so angry if he knew I left, but it's just so suffocating in there! Stay put ,blossom. Be good, blossom. Listen to me, blossom. He never told me about people like you and Virgil, people who were nice. He told me everyone was terrible, violent and selfish. I want to know why he lied. "

"You'll get the chance next time you see him, I'm sure! It'll be fine, Janus. Virgil and I will still like you even if your father doesn't want us to hang out. We'll sneak you out to have fun! Right, Vir-" Patton turned, looking for Virgil, who _should_ have been nearby. But the boy was nowhere in sight, and neither was Remus. 

"Janus? Did you see where Virgil went?" 

"No! Did you see where Remus went?" 

"No! We have to find them!"

"I know that, Patton! Remus probably got excited and went chasing down a meal, he can move pretty fast, and he blends in well in the forest since he's green and black, and oh, I hope Virgil managed to keep up!"

"Will Remus come if you yell for him?" 

"Sometimes. He's still got wild instincts after all. But he has distinctive scars! I'll know him if I spot him. Plus there probably aren't many two headed snakes around, right?" 

"Nope, that's rare. What I'm worried about is Virgil! He won't hear us unless we're loud and close by! You said there's wolves here, and there's snakes other than Remus, and probably a dozen other ways he could get hurt and-" 

"Patt. Breathe! We can't help them if we freak out. Virgil's anxious by nature, right? He's bound to try to find us too. And he won't delibarately take a path that's not safe.We just need to look for his footprints, for snake paths. It's been rainy lately, the ground will be soft and muddy. We'll find them. "

*******************************************************************************************************************************************

Virgil hadn't meant to wander away from Patton and Janus, he'd just been focused on staying close to Remus because he didn't want the snake to get lost, that would make Janus sad and upset. He didn't want to make Janus sad or upset, so he followed Remus. The forest was thick with vegetation and tall trees with wide branches and numerous large leaves blocking out much of the sunlight, so it was a bit difficult to spot Remus as the serpent wound his way rapidly over the ground , chasing something. Virgil had to jog to keep up, but he was enjoying himself. It was exciting to explore a new area with a new companion, especially one who didn't mind that Virgil was quiet. Not that Patton seemed to mind, but Virgil sometimes felt like Patton was too nice to tell him if he'd been bothering him.

He really didn't want to bother Patton. Patton was nice to him, and was quick to reassure him whenever he was nervous about things, and he didn't say Virgil's worries were silly like most people did. Patton paid attention, and tried to keep Virgil away from things that made his anxiety worse, like crowds or small spaces or too many loud noises. Virgil hadn't asked Patton to do so, the kind older boy had just started doing so once he noticed what made Virgil uneasy. Patton was even nice about the interests Virgil had, pointing out places Virgil might find a spider to observe or telling him stories about daring adventures, or getting art supplies whenever he could since Virgil liked to draw. He'd praised Virgil's skill with patching up their clothes, and even thought Virgil's homemade hooded jacket was cool.

He'd make foods Virgil liked after a long and rough day of travel, and even when Virgil made a mistake, Patton didn't get mean with him. Virgil was grateful for that. He'd been very uneasy and difficult after the fire, when he was first adjusting to his hearing loss, and Patton had been patient and comforting through all of Virgil's frustrated outbursts. He was happy to have Patton around. It was really nice to have an older brother looking out for him. He was still getting used to Janus, but Janus was nice to him, and Janus was nice to _Patton_ , which was extremely important to Virgil. Anyone who wasn't nice to Patton was unacceptable as friend material. 

After about ten minutes of following Remus, the serpent finally caught what he'd been hunting, and after eating, came back to Virgil, circling around the boy's feet. Virgil smiled, gently picking the ten foot serpent up and settling Remus on his shoulders. "Glad you got a snack, but we need to go back to Patton now." Remus hissed softly at him in reply, twin tongues nearly touching Virgil's cheek. Virgil chuckled softly, petting Remus gently. He started to walk, following his own footprints back the way he'd come, pausing now and then to pick edible berries and put them in his pockets as a surprise for Patton. He didn't know if Janus liked berries but he grabbed extra in case he did. 

Virgil was trying to be quiet, but that was a bit difficult to do when you couldn't hear properly. He hadn't made it very far when he heard a loud growl, and looked for the source of the sound. He soon found it- a large grey wolf, not far from him, and moving closer. He couldn't move suddenly, his heart beating much faster.Time seemed to slow down,and he could hear Remus hissing, moving forward , down from his shoulders- he knew he should reach out , protect him, but his body wouldn't move, eyes locked on the wolf that was getting closer and closer. He let out a barely audible noise, an attempt at a cry for help, the usual nerves over being teased over his voice far, far away right now- the wolf was closer, closer, he closed his eyes, already picturing how upset Patton was going to be and it was his fault, his fault, _his fault._ He fell backwards as the wolf lunged at him, his right shoulder demanding all of his attention as pain erupted there,and finally his body listened to him, and he struggled, thrashing, desperate to get the wolf off him- and all of a sudden, the wolf yelped, and then ran off into the woods, the weight of it off him at last, and he looked around , bewildered and relieved and still reeling from fear. A new voice caught his attention, and he turned toward it. 

It was a boy who couldn't be much older than him, dressed in a nice black shirt and dark blue pants, a pair of glasses on his face and neatly kept brown hair. He was holding a slingshot loosely in one hand and hurrying toward Virgil, his other hand on the wrist of an adult who he seemed to be guiding. The boy spoke , breathlessly, asking a lot of questions and talking very fast. Virgil frowned, signing with his left hand. Moving his right arm at all right now was a daunting task he had no interest in. 

************************************************************************************************************************************

Logan was unfamiliar with this particular forest, and thus had gotten lost. He and Remy had been slowly making their way around Draca looking for and questioning magic users for the last two weeks. Remy needed help navigating the forest at times when it was a bit too bright, which wasn't often, but frequent enough that Logan had taken to just keeping a gentle hand on Remy's wrist much of the time. Remy had been very amusing as a travel companion, and it was nice to have an adult with him for added safety. 

"It's pretty here, but is the weather always this warm?" Remy questioned as Logan led the way through the forest, attempting to find the path on the map. 

"Yes. It's warm much of the year here, but our winters are equally cold. My apologies for getting us lost, I hadn't explored this particular forest before. "

"Oh it's fine, Roman gets us lost on our outings all the time. It's kind of fun. Don't stress, Logan. Oh, um, don't freak out, but I'm pretty sure that's a wolf paw print there. " Remy pointed at a spot on the ground. 

"You are correct. And... those are human boot prints. "Logan looked around, wondering if someone else was nearby, and spotted about twenty feet away, nearly hidden by the thick foliage, a boy near his age, black hair dyed partially purple at the bangs, likely with some type of mineral compound, and a purple and black hooded jacket who was only visible for seconds before a snarling wolf tackled him down . Logan acted quickly, letting go of Remy's wrist for a second to pull out a slingshot he'd brought along for defense, and a decently sized rock. He moved closer, just close enough to spot the wolf, took aim, and fired, hitting the animal in the snout. The wolf yelped and darted off, Logan waited just long enough to ensure it wasn't returning, then hurried back to Remy, grabbing his wrist again and rushing toward the boy who'd been attacked. 

The boy stared at Logan and Remy, visibly debating whether to lean away from them or closer, expression pained, panicked and confused. His right shoulder was clearly injured, bleeding. 

"Are you hurt?! I'm so sorry I didn't see the wolf sooner! My name is Logan Picani, nice to meet you, don't worry, I won't hurt you, my father's a healer, I know a bit of medical treatment, this is Remy, he's my friend, he's not going to hurt you either, are you lost here too- " 

The boy was frowning, making gestures with his left hand, occasionally pointing at his ears, then at Logan, and shaking his head. 

'-what are you doing with your ha- oh! Oh! My sincere apologies. You're trying to say you don't hear well. " Logan switched communication methods, putting away the slingshot and then slowly signing to the boy, repeating what he had asked verbally. 

The boy blinked, brown eyes surprised and pleased, then signed back. ' My shoulder hurts a lot. I'm lost, yes, but I'm not alone here, I have a big brother, and a new friend, and my new friend's pretty snake is with me. That was really cool, how you scared the wolf away! Thank you! I'm Virgil. Not fully deaf, but I hear loud noises better. Fast talking is hard to understand.I should have run, but I just froze, I panicked. Oh! Do you see a big two headed green and black snake? Remus got down from my shoulders when the wolf showed up and I didn't see where he went and I have to bring him back with me or I'll make my new friend sad. '

Logan looked around, soon spotting a ten foot long green anaconda ,with two heads and several long-healed scars along the middle of its body. The serpent made its way to Virgil , settling onto the boy's legs and softly hissing at Logan. 'I've never seen a polycephalic _Eunectes Murinus_ before! Fascinating! You said his name is Remus? And he's a pet? His owner has taken excellent care of him! Truly a magnificient specimen. Sorry, I should be focusing on your injury. May I take a closer lo-" 

_"Virgil!_ There you are! I was so worried about- oh , no, you're bleeding! Who are these people?! Did they attack you?! Ohhh, let me see the injury, V, it's all gonna be okay-" Patton rushed over to Virgil, fretting over him. 

"Patton, slow down, he won't understand you. "Janus commented, arriving a few steps behind Patton and signing to Virgil to reassure him before scrutinizing the new people. One of them was a child around Virgil's age, and the other was a man with dark glasses who was ... staring at Janus with a look of shock on his face. 

Virgil was signing to Patton , trying to calm him down. Logan was getting out medical supplies from his bag. Janus was picking up Remus and signing little jokes to Virgil, trying to soothe the boy, and that was when Remy spoke. 

" _Janus?!_ "

"How did you know my name? I've never met you! Do you know my father?" Janus was more than a bit freaked out. 

"Know your... this is going to sound very weird and you probably won't believe me, but I- I am your father. One of them, anyway, Roman's back home. You were- shortly after you were born, you were stolen from us, Janus. By a magic user. We've been looking for you for 18 years. "

" _ **PLEASE TELL ME YOU'RE JOKING."**_

*****************************************************************************************************************

It took a good fifteen minutes, but between Patton and Logan, they got the rest of their group calmed down. Janus was sitting near Remy, Remus in his lap as he and Remy talked quietly, a confused look still on Janus's face. 

Logan and Patton worked together to tend to Virgil's injury, and after a dose of pain medicine, Virgil had fallen asleep in Patton's lap, which Patton wasn't complaining about. He was just relieved Virgil was going to be ok. Janus had offered to try healing Virgil with his hair trick, but Virgil had refused, worried the effort would have a bad effect on Janus. So he'd been patched up by more basic medicine, bandages wrapped around the claw and bite wound, his hooded jacket already being repaired and cleaned by Patton. Virgil looked a bit pale, but was sleeping comfortably. Patton kept an eye on him, brushing fingers through his younger brother's hair now and then, ready to shush conversation if it got too noisy. Logan sat next to Patton, watching Virgil , but also glancing around and observing everything else. 

"Thank you for rescuing him, Logan. You risked your own safety to help a stranger, that's pretty brave. " 

"My dad taught me to never leave a possibly injured person without help. I wish I had spotted the wolf sooner, perhaps Virgil wouldn't have been hurt. "

"Regardless, you showing up when you did saved Virgil's life. I can't thank you enough. "

"You can, and you have. Once is plenty. Though I fear the danger might not be past. You've become friends with an internationally known kidnapping victim, the abductor could very well target any one of us in an attempt to escape again with Janus. "

"I know that. But there's safety in numbers, and if we can get to a hiding place it should be ok."

**************************************************************************************************************************

Raistlin hadn't really planned on being a real parent, but a summer fling had resulted in a baby left on his doorstep one morning, a baby boy with black hair tipped with purple, a dark violet. He'd cared for the child for a little while, but seeing no magic potential and having little want to raise another child while already tending to Janus, he'd traveled to a village he wasn't known in and left the boy with an innkeeper, leaving only a name for the boy as a connection to him- Virgil. 

He thought of this now as he traveled through the thick forest surrounding the tower, several miles away. Perhaps Janus would behave if he had company full-time. He could go and retrieve Virgil, bring him to Janus and leave him there as a gift. As he moved through the trees, he spotted a boy wandering the forest, in a patchwork hooded jacket and that distinct two-toned hair. But as he saw him, he also heard a voice yelling for Virgil. Someone else had taken Virgil in. No matter. All he needed to do was wait for Virgil to be alone. He would follow him, and be patient. 


	4. Memory

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Truths are revealed. Janus and Virgil remember their childhoods. The group searches for shelter, and when Raistlin makes a move, a chain reaction is set in motion.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is dedicated to a dear friend of mine who is like family to me. I love you Shadow, and I want the best for you. I hope this is a comfort to you in these rough times.
> 
> Very few are reading this but I will write it anyway. Sympathetic Janus content MUST multiply *JD voice* and I can't do this alooone, still I will if I MUST! Word by word , stroke by stroke , I will endear him to the multitudes. It's my duty as the founder of the twitter # Janus Cult
> 
> Join us in the snek brotherhood. We have snake puns.
> 
> Violence toward children in this chapter, but no one dies.

Janus wasn't sure what to say. _What were you supposed to say when a stranger told you that he was your father, after all your life you'd been told your family was dead?_

The stranger- no, _Remy_ , his name was _Remy-_ was sitting close to him, but not too close. He'd told an entirely different story of how Raistlin came across Janus- not one of bandits on a dark road, of bloodshed and a grueling battle for survival, but instead one of profound joy cut short by cruelty and selfish revenge for some perceived slight. 

" All I ask is that you listen, Janus. You don't have to believe any of it yet, I can't imagine what lies you've grown up on, but please, just let me tell you how things went from my perspective. I'll tell you another day how I met Roman and how we fell in love, promise, it's a wild ride, sweetie. What you need to hear now is ... the story of the most traumatic day of my life. Roman was such a nag all day, making sure you and I had whatever we needed and just being his dramatic self. We were.... we were both so thrilled that you were healthy, Janus. For awhile there we were afraid you wouldn't make it, but Roman, the damn stubborn ass, was relentless and hunted down every magical fix he could find to make sure we both made it. Ridiculous, too much, but sweet, really. Don't tell him I said that.

Anyway, you were only a few hours old, and we were celebrating at a festival in the town square, watching fireworks just as it got dark. You were so small, and so cute, reaching up for the fireworks and watching the stars.I was holding you, Roman was next to me, and we were just drinking in the moment, you know? Enjoying our time with you, already loving you with all we had. We were joking around with each other, I was teasing Roman, like I always do because he's cute when he's all flustered, everything was wonderful... and then it wasn't. There was an explosion, the stage was suddenly in pieces , red smoke was everywhere, people were panicking and Roman and I got seperated. I was trying to find him, or just get out of the smoke, to keep you safe, but I didn't get very far.

I was alone one minute, holding you and trying to find Roman, and... he appeared out of thin air, right in front of me, and he moved so fast. His hand was glowing, and before I could react, he threw a curse at my face, and then wrestled you out of my grip. I fought so hard to get you back, please believe me, Janus, I swear to god, I fought to get you back, but the curse- the magic was so overwhelming, and I was still recovering from the pregnancy- I screamed for Roman, and he came running, but that bastard wizard only laughed at us, mocked us, and vanished with you in his arms. I still have nightmares about how you were wailing when it happened. We looked for you , all this time, but the red smoke made it hard to get clear witness reports. We followed lead after lead and got nothing.

But then Logan came along and he figured it out. He suggested looking here, and we- we ran into you! It's... it's such a relief to see you again, Janus. We were so worried for you. You're alive, you don't look like you're hurt physically, and you look like you've been fed properly at least. I'm so glad to see you! I've missed you so much. I've talked enough, though. I want to know about you. What happened from your point of view?" Remy was watching him , his expression kind and only slightly worried. 

Janus took a deep breath, sighing, petting Remus both for comfort and out of habit. " Fa- _Raistlin_ didn't talk about it much. But what he did tell me was pretty graphic. He claimed he was travelling through a far off country, when he spotted bandits attacking a family of travellers. He fought the bandits off, and in the wreckage of the family's wagon, he found me. Told me the markings on my face were from a dark curse, that my family were all dead. I was raised not too far from here, in an old stone tower. Raistlin kept me fed , brought me gifts from his travels, but got furious whenever I asked to go outside.

We never had any real conversations, he didn't care much about my interests or hobbies, though if he thought it might keep me from leaving the tower he'd usually bring me what I requested. He's obsessed with my hair, which is magic and glows when I sing a special song he taught me, can heal injuries, and turns brown when it's cut and loses the magic. Which is why most of my hair is so long. I... On a surface level, Raistlin took care of me, but we aren't... close. I only took to calling him a parent because I knew nothing else. We don't even look alike. But you... you do look like me. Our ears, our chins, skin tone... and my tuft of brown hair is almost the same shade of brown as yours. I believe you, I think, about you being my father. I want to, anyway. I suppose I should tell you what I like... I read a lot, I love books on philosphy and history. I really like snakes- took in Remus here as a hatchling when I was about 13? He was just sleeping on the windowsill and he was all bruised up from a fight, so I took care of him.

I tried to release him back into the wild but he kept coming back, and I worried because of his twin heads that collectors might hunt him down, so I just kept him. I ... I know a lot of people fear snakes, but Remus isn't scary. You just have to understand him. He's been my only friend for years now, please don't make me leave him behind! I'll take care of all his needs, and I'll take full responsiblity if he bites anyone. I like cooking, I've learned how to make quite a few dishes, though I don't care for sour tastes much. I am fond of chicken, however. I can't have cilantro. I like yellow and black,I'd love to see a theater performance, and I really want to hear more music. I also like... " Janus paused, blushing slightly, glancing toward Patton. " I like Patton. I don't know if it's... affection, but I like him. He's funny, and kind, and he's so gentle with Virgil, and patient with all of my questions, and even though Remus makes him nervous he's trying so hard to be nice to him. It's ...cute. _He's_ cute. I feel relaxed around him, but also ... fluttery? I'm glad he was the first stranger I met, he's a good person. It's... ok, right? It's ok for me to like Patton? " 

"I'm a trans man , who married a man, wrote explicit laws forbidding homophobia, transphobia , gender discrimination, pretty much every kind of discrimination there is, and Roman and I have made it permanent constitutional law that marriage and all other rights are equal for all genders, abilities , races, et cetera , et cetera. Clearly I'm a bigoted monster. "Remy deadpanned. 

Janus blinked, then laughed. "I like you already,Re- wait. Can I... should I... what do I call you? I... I want to get to know my real family, but I don't know how. I don't want to mess things up. " 

"I've been waiting 18 years to see you again, to have a chance to talk and get to know you and just spend time with my son. Nothing is going to mess that up- not Remus, who we will provide an excellent habitat for in the castle, along with whatever other pets you may want- not you having a crush on someone I don't know well yet, not weird magic powers. You are my son, and I already love you no matter what. Call me whatever you feel comfortable with, Janus. This is awkward for both of us. "

Janus blinked away tears. "Thanks, Dad. I've never... Raistlin never said anything half as nice as that. It's really comforting to hear. " 

Remy moved a little closer, arms outstretched for a hug, but looking at him questioningly. Janus nodded, accepting the embrace, which comforted him much more than any touch from Raistlin ever had. 

******************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Virgil woke slowly, cold and a bit disoriented. His shoulder was killing him, and his hooded jacket was gone, so he was left in a purple shirt with short sleeves , his pants , and socks. Someone, likely Patton, had taken his boots off and laid a blanket over him, but he didn't see Patton right now. Instead, Logan sat next to him, and offered him a smile as soon as he noticed Virgil looking at him. 

'Oh, good morning.Patton's making breakfast so he asked me to look after you. How do you feel? You should rest, you lost a fair amount of blood and you need to regain your strength. It's alright, you're safe. The wolf is gone. Patton said he's going to clean your jacket and mend it, he'll have it finished for you soon. He knows it's special to you. Remus isn't hurt, and no one is mad at you, Virgil. ' Logan signed slowly as he spoke so Virgil could understand him, looking at him with a worried frown. 

Virgil felt flustered. Logan was nice, brave enough to scare off a wolf for him, and now he was reassuring him. ' Hey, Logan. My shoulder hurts a lot, and I feel cold. Thanks again for rescuing me. You were really brave! You didn't get hurt, right? '

'No, I didn't get hurt. You had us all worried for awhile , Virgil, it took us time to get the bleeding to stop. But you made it, and I'm sure once you get home your parents will be relieved. '

' I don't have parents. Only Patton. Worrying about me is... silly. I'm a street kid. Nobody in our old village wanted to adopt me, not the weaver I worked for, not the innkeeper who found me on her doorstep, not the nice old lady at the candle stall. Patton was nice, didn't look at me like I was ... pathetic. He made sure I got lots of the chocolate banana nut muffins he made, and he tried to be sneaky and hide money in the paper bags he gave me food in. I didn't want to be rude and give it back so I've been saving it. Patt's sad without his bakery. When we find a new town, I'm gonna buy him a new one. Patton shouldn't have to be sad... he's done a lot for me. I gotta do something special for him too. Don't tell him! I want to surprise him. I'm not as good at stuff as Patton is. He's really good at cooking and stories and jokes and making friends. Making me feel better when I'm sick or scared. He's family. We didn't grow up together in the same house, but he's always been really nice to me ever since I met him, and then he rescued me after the fire and put up with how grouchy and rude I was while I was recovering. Not many people would do that. So my thank you can't be something small, it has to be big! '

' I won't tell Patton. Though I'm sorry to hear about your lack of parents. I'll give you another dose of pain medicine once you've eaten, and we can find you another blanket to use until your jacket is repaired. Your injuries are serious, but I believe if you follow medical advice , you'll recover well. Probably some scarring if you decline a magical cure. Moving your right arm will be painful and difficult for a couple of weeks as you heal, and you should do so carefully , under the guidance of a healer. Like my father. He largely works with ailments of the mind, but he knows a fair amount about physical ailments too, so I think he could help you. If you come with us to Imara, and visit him-' 

' I haven't read a lot of love books but this sounds like you're asking me out. Are you, Dr. Logan?'

' I- I do not have a medical degree! But I do have a doctorate. Five, actually. Working on the sixth, seventh, and eighth. Asking you out to wh- you said... Love books... which means... given the definitions and context of... Ah. I suppose I am, but only as a getting to know each other activity. I find you fascinating, Virgil. I would like to get to know you better first, but... I am not... adverse to... to a... a date. But later. Dad said I should wait until I am either 15 or until I have a minimum of ten doctorates. ' Logan was blushing, barely making eye contact with him, and Virgil couldn't help letting out a small laugh. 

He didn't talk out loud as much after his hearing had been damaged- he'd always been picked on for one thing or another by villagers , and he didn't want his voice to be next. He stuttered and repeated himself on bad anxiety days, and Patton didn't tease him over it, but other people might. He wasn't keen on being called stupid and not being able to hear the whispered insults. Less ammunition the better. But he felt less shy around Logan.

'I like your laugh, Virgil. I'm not going to tease you over your voice, don't worry. '

' You really don't have to give me fake compliments. '

' I only do that to manipulate rude teachers. I wouldn't do that to my friend. I really do like your laugh, Virgil. '

Virgil smiled. "Thank you, Lo. I like how smart you are, and how you're so calm. "

"Awwww, you got him talking out loud! You really are something special, Logan! Virge doesn't talk out loud for just anybody. He must really like you! So how are you feeling, little storm cloud? If you feel too sore to move a lot today we can camp out for a bit, Lo-Lo did say you'd need rest. I found a bunch of berries in your jacket pockets , so I made us all fruit crepes and eggs for breakfast, I hope that's ok! " Patton came over to them,awkwardly signing with one hand as he carried two bowls of food in the other, balanced precariously. Logan stood and grabbed the bowls before they could fall. 

"Oh, uh, yeah, that's fine, Patton. I was gonna give you and Janus the berries anyway, as a treat. I'm... pretty sore, but only in my shoulder, I'll be fine to travel I think. I'm really sorry I made you worry, Patt. Did you drink water? You should, you've been crying a lot. " 

"What? No, no, not me, I never cry. " 

"Last week you cried for an hour and a half because you were worried a baby bird we saw wouldn't make it back to its nest. "

"You're too smart, V. I'll drink some water, promise. I'm ok, I was just... I was so worried for you! I should have stayed closer to you, I'm so so-"

"Stop that! I wandered off! I froze up when there was trouble. None of this is on you. I'm okay, I made it back home to you, right? You don't need to feel bad, I'm not mad at you, Patt. Logan saved me, I'm safe. I'm just relieved I got to see you again. That was the scary part, not knowing if I'd get to see you again. "

" You.. you really missed me that much, Virgiil?" 

"Am I not supposed to miss my big brother? Course I missed you, goofus, you're my family. At least- I uh... I think of us that way. But if you don't that's fi-"

Virgil was startled, suddenly wrapped in a big hug from Patton. " Of course we're a family, Virgil. I'm so happy to hear you say that! I couldn't have asked for a better brother, V. You're a wonderful kid, and I'm so lucky you let me take you in. " 

Virgil smiled, hugging Patton back awkwardly with his good arm. "Love you, Patt. "

"Love you too,Virgil. " 

*********************************************************************************************************************

After breakfast, the group walked a short distance to a small town, where Logan led them to an inn and Remy paid for rooms. After a few hours of relaxing, the group split up briefly. Janus, Remus and Remy went out to have lunch and spend time together as father and son, Patton settled in for a nap, and Virgil headed out with Logan to explore town. Patton trusted Logan to keep Virgil safe. He wanted Virgil to have some fun after the rough time yesterday. 

************************************************************************************************************************

Raistlin couldn't believe his luck. He'd been in town to pick up potion ingredients and some new books for Janus, distracting himelf from the frustration of losing track of Virgil, when Virgil came into view, walking with another boy, both making odd hand gestures. The boy with him looked like a scholar's child, deep blue hair and well-fitted clothing. Virgil by comparison looked as if he was wearing clothing given to him out of pity. The jacket alone was a cobbled-together atrocity, nothing like the fine robes Raistlin preferred. He ducked into an alley as the pair came near, then, as they started to walk past, he jumped out, grabbing both of them firmly. He would dispose of the extra child later, leaving a witness behind was unwise. He used his teleporting spell, appearing back in a small cabin he owned deep in the woods.

Immediately, he felt a sharp pain in his hand as Virgil bit him, hard. The scholar child opted for elbowing him in the ribcage with a starting ferocity. Distracted by pain and anger, Raistlin let go. Virgil was looking around, trying to spot an exit. Oh, that was not allowed. Raistlin lashed out with his magic, conjuring a ring of fire around the blue haired boy, broiling flames surrounding him in a circle, tall enough to nearly hide him from view. 

"Stop! I am your father, Virgil! You will listen to me!" 

Virgil only hissed in reply, eyes staring in horror at the flames. 

"Virgil! Virgil I'm ok! I'm warm , but not burned yet! " 

"You... you aren't my father! You're a creep, a bastard who put my friend in danger! Let him go! Put out the fire! DO IT NOW!" 

"Not until you listen to me. You're going to be moving somewhere new, Virgil. You'll keep my blossom company. "

"No, I'm not going! I have a home already! Put out the fire! Put it out! Please! Burning this place down is dumb! "

"Ah, you don't like my fire spell? Very well, I have other methods to make you cooperate. " 

Raistlin waved a hand, the flames vanished, replaced by a thick floating group of knives, positioned above the blue-haired boy's head, and restraints that held the boy in place. 

*******************************************************************************************************************

Deep within Virgil, something snapped. Not in a painful way, more like a dam bursting, releasing what was held back. He took a shaky step toward the stranger, a strange feeling overtaking him, intoxicating, cold, and filling him with adrenaline. He didn't understand how he was doing it, but somehow, the shadows in the room gathered around him, forming into a thick whirlpool of darkness at his feet. He had to protect Logan and get them out of here. Logan might be hurt, might be scared. Patton could not wake up to find out he and Logan were missing. That would NOT happen. He had already made Patton cry once this year, he would not do it again. He held out his good hand, and shadows leapt into it, forming a sharp spike, which he threw at the stranger, unsure what good it might do. 

The effect was odd. From the point the spike touched him, a thick flow of ice spread for quite a distance, engulfing the man halfway in ice. The knives dropped, scattering randomly before vanishing along with the restraints, and Virgil rushed to Logan immediately, helping him up. 

"Are you okay?! Are you hurt Logan?!" 

"A few unbothersome cuts. Virgil, why did't you mention you have magic? Your eyes are a very intriguing hue right now,by the way. "

"Did you hit your head? I don't have magic... I mean.. I ... that... " Virgil swayed on his feet, collapsing into Logan. "I feel... weird."

"This is normal, first magic uses are often overwhelming,you will be ok. " As he spoke ,Logan was hurrying out of the cabin, dragging Virgil along with him as gently as he could. Gaining distance from their abductor while the ice held him was crucial. Virgil mumbled incoherently as they moved, out of it but still panicky and tense. 

**************************************************************************************************************************

Logan was desperate. He had to protect Virgil, who had risked his own safety to protect him. Moving through the thick woods as fast as one could while dragging a barely-conscious friend, Logan spotted a cave entrance, overgrown nearly completely by foliage and moss. He rushed inside it, and found a dry space to lay Virgil down, then sat beside him. Virgil drifted into slumber, pale and with sweat beading on his forehead, shadows still accumulating around him. Logan hugged his knees, and thought. How could he find Patton, Remy, and Janus again without a map? What did he know that would be helpful right now? With Virgil incapacitated for an uncertain amount of time, he would need to be carried. Logan mused over the facts he had stored in his memory over the years. The river Seidon was nearby,he knew that. A fast current but few dangerous areas. He could conceivably build a raft and take the river into the town of Lone Pine, where the rest of his friends waited. But he needed to do so quickly and while staying as hidden as possible, since he didn't know where their kidnapper might be. He took a deep breath. He had work to do. 


End file.
